Honesty
by Blue Eyes At Night
Summary: One Shot. Sometimes the greatest feature of a person is their honesty... EomerLothiriel. RR!


A/N- this has been a nusiansical little bug that burrowed into my head….

Honesty

He stared at her from across the room in such a frank manner she could not bring herself to be insulted. Maybe the look was hooded and hardly appropriate to be giving to the daughter of one's friend, but there was nothing malicious or dishonest about it. Lothiriel was worn down with the painted on smiles of courtiers or the men who pretended to hear her speak as their eyes wandered around her. She had long since decided she preferred a man more honest about his intentions. If you wanted to bed her, say that, do not say you wished to make her your doted-upon little wife when you intended no such thing.

Eomer-King looked at her like a woman likes to be looked at, as a power so great it renders a man speechless. Indeed, as she basked in her ability to make a hardened soldier blush ever so slightly, Eomer seemed afraid of it. How many times did she see one of her brothers offer to introduce him to her? Even her father tried, but Eomer politely shook his head and quickly occupied himself.

Lothiriel took many opportunities to watch him. She was intruiged at how a grown man could at once seem to wise and so …naïve. It was clear to her that he was awkward and embarrassed by some of the court proceedings and it was not hard to wonder that he was obviously not groomed for the position he was burdened with.

Before the night was over-ripe, Eomer managed to slip away to enjoy the stars. For a long moment Lothiriel looked at the edge of the balcony where he stood and wondered how improper it would be to follow him.

"You shall never meet him if you wait for one of us to introduce you, Lothy… you make him nervous as a lad before his first kiss." Amrothos could always read his sister better then any book.

"I wonder at why…"

"I wonder at you giving men so much credit for depth. Some things are not over-complicated, you are beautiful. This is enough to make some of the best men into fools."

Smiling smally to herself, Lothiriel still wondered at whether or not she should go after the King when Amrothos gave her a light shove. For once, she listened to her brother.

Outside she saw Eomer staring as fixedly at the waves of the ocean as he had stared at her not so long ago. It was clear that he was deep in thought and she was loath to interrupt. Though her feet made little more then a whisper, Eomer heard her and turned.

"My lady…"

"I am sorry to interrupt you, Eomer-King. I shall leave you to your-"

"Thoughts? I beg not, lady. You sooth them being here as they are of you."

She was taken aback, but not in a completely distasteful fashion.

"So honest about such things…"

Eomer seemed to curse himself in a tongue she did not know, "I am sorry if it offends you, I did not mean it so. I am used to simply saying what I please, the courtly coatings have not yet become second nature to me."

"I pray they don't ever take hold…honesty is a rare beast in courts." Lothiriel got the courage to stand next to him and offer her hand, "I am most anxious to make your acquaintance Eomer of Rohan…formally that is."

Taking her hand, he brushed it with a wisp of a kiss, "And I yours, Princess Lothiriel. Your family speak so highly and frequently of you I had almost forgotten we had not already met."

"Almost?" She ventured to tease him and he took it well, laughing sincerely.

"The almost struck me when I saw you…I would never forget making such a beautiful acquaintance." He blushed as he confessed, "I must have been staring like a boor. I do apologize."

It was Lothiriel's turn to laugh, "Oh you need not apologize! I was hardly offended…I was curious as to why, my Lord. I have become well acquainted with the tricks and stares of courtiers… I have not seen such a stare as yours before."

"And how did it appear to you?"

She let him search her eyes for anything and everything he might have hoped or feared to find, "Honest."

"How could it be a lie? I have never seen such a woman as you…and it took my breath, and my manners, clear away. That is not such an easy thing to concoct falsely."

"Nay…it is not. That is why I was not offended."

She turned her face hoping to hide the evident flush but Eomer noticed, "Have I embarrassed you, my lady?"

"Nay! Not in any way I do not welcome…it is not everyday that a man calls me beautiful and I care to hear his words."

Taking these words as encouragement Eomer cleared his throat and some of his awkwardness melted away, beneath it Lothiriel could see the soldier that fearlessly lead men to battle, and knew he could just as fearlessly lead them to prosperity as a king.

"Lady, beautiful is a poor word for you. I dare call you elf-like. I thought you were the way you bewitched me, but I see you now blushing and squirming at my words as no elf would…you are a rare thing indeed. Such beauty…and human."

"As human as you are, Eomer-King."

From the balcony, Imrahil and his sons watched with mixed joy and sadness. The exchange caused a jolt of pain as they realized that they could not hold onto Lothiriel forever…but great joy flooded them as they dared to hope it would be such a man as Eomer to take her away.

A few months later their troth was plighted.

While nay-sayers from Dol Amroth and Rohan alike hissed at the marriage and called it a fraud, called it a lie, and a thousand other useless barbs, the couple and their family knew exactly why they married.

Sometimes, the greatest feature of a person, is their honesty.

The End.

A/N- sooooo……..R/R

Its not much, just a little bug. It actually mutated during the writing process so that means another bug will soon emerge. By soon I mean…hopefully within the next 12 months.

: - ) well I try….

R.R!!!


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